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Religion and Worship in Oxford

Religion and worship in Oxford, UK

For times of worship at various Oxford venues, please visit our automated Worship listings page.

If you've no idea which religion you might wish to join, but feel the need for some spirituality in your life, why not start at
www.sacred-texts.com, which contains, as the name suggests, almost all of humanity's sacred writings, presented in files which are both usefully cross-referenced and easily downloaded. Make sure you've got a month or two to spare before you start, as this site is extraordinarily comprehensive. On a more Christian note, if you're that way inclined, try the Bible Gateway, where you can access 13 versions of the bible in English and 18 in other languages, and use a search facility to track down that elusive fire-and-brimstone quote for your Sunday sermon. Another very useful resource can be found at www.sivasakti.com, a huge index for those investigating self-development through the hindu or tantric paths.

Promoting harmony between all religions, the
International Interfaith Centre (17 Courtiers Green, Clifton Hampden, Abingdon, OX14 3EN) was set up in 1993 with the aim of 'building inter-faith co-operation in the world' which it does through conferences, lectures and other events and projects which you can find out about via their website. The website also features short introductions to most, if not all and more, of the religions covered below.

Judaism

www.torah.org is a good online starting point for information on all aspects of Judaism.

For
Oxford Jewish Heritage there are now two websites:www.oxfordjewishheritage.org is a National Anglo-Jewish Heritage Trail project in collaboration with Oxford Chabad.www.oxfordjewishheritage.co.uk is run by the Oxford Jewish Heritage Committee (established by The Oxford Jewish Congregation).
Both sites offer information on the Jewish Quarters of Oxford through the ages, with notable Jewish figures and relevant history. Combined, they present a wealth of research.

The principal language used varies according to the following pattern:
First Sunday of each month: services mainly in GreekSecond and fourth Sundays: services in English and SlavonicThird Sunday: services mainly in English (Greek chant)Fifth Sunday: alternates between English/Slavonic and Greek.
The regular Sunday services are the Divine Liturgy at 10:30 and the Vigil service on the preceding Saturday evening at 17:30.

Website of the Episcopal Vicariate of Great Britain and Ireland (Exarchate of Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe)
www.exarchate-uk.org

The principal language used varies according to the following pattern:
First Sunday of each month: English with some SlavonicSecond Sunday: EnglishThird Sunday: predominantly SlavonicFourth Sunday: EnglishFifth Sunday: English with some Slavonic
The regular Sunday services are the Divine Liturgy at 10:30 and the Vigil service on the preceding Saturday evening at 17:30.

St Aloysius Gonzaga, The Catholic Parish Church of Oxford, Woodstock Road
01865 315800
Daily: Mass 07:30, 10:00 (followed by Rosary), 18:00Saturday: 18:30 Vigil for SundaySunday: 09:30 (family Mass), 11:00 Solemn Latin Mass (sung), 18:30 (Mass)
Vespers is sung at 17:30. Confessions are heard before each Mass and on request.
This parish is run by the Oratorians who follow a pattern of life established by St Philip Neri.

Blessed Dominic Barberi, Cowley Road, Littlemore
01865 778454
Saturday: 18:00 Vigil for SundaySunday: 11:00Holydays: 09:00, 19:30
This church is next door to the famous college (once the home of John Henry Newman) but now the home of the Sisters of the Work who keep Newman's memory alive.

General Information about the Church in Oxford, Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties can be obtained from the Diocesan Secretary, Mrs Rosemary Pearce, at the Diocesan Church House, North Hinksey, OX2 0NB (tel. 01865 208200, fax. 01865 790470). E-mail [email protected], or visit www.oxford.anglican.org.

CHORAL EVENSONG can be found daily during term time at Oxford's three choral foundations: Christ Church (18:05), New College (18:15) and Magdalen College (18:00). Early arrival is recommended as space does tend to be limited, especially if you want to sit in choir.

Pusey House,St. Giles
01865 278415
Chaplaincy primarily for Church of England members of the University, with a high tradition.
Term time only.
Sunday: 11:00 Sung Mass.During the week: 07:40 Matins, 08:00 Eucharist, 17:00 Evensong.

St. Ebbes, Pennyfarthing Place (behind the Westgate Centre)
01865 240438
Evangelical.
Service times change more or less in line with University terms.
Sunday term time: 9.45, 11.45 (followed by student lunch), 16.30, 18.30Sunday out of term: 9.45, 16.30, 18.30

St. Michael at the Northgate, Cornmarket Street
01865 240940
The City Church of Oxford.
Sunday: 08:00 Holy Communion, 10:30 Holy Communion or Mattins (both sung), 18:30 Evensong (sung).Weekdays: Weds: 12:30 Prayers, followed by (13:15) Holy Communion. Fri: 12:15 Communion.
The church is always open during the day for a quiet sit down and private prayer.

University Church of St. Mary the Virgin, High Street
01865 279111
Sunday: 09:30 Family Service (1st Sunday of the month), 10:30 Sung Eucharist, 18:00 Evensong or Taizé as announced.Weekdays: 12:15 Holy Communion (Monday-Thursday).

Oxford Christadelphian Church, Tyndale Road, OX4 1JL
01865 251166
Sunday: 11am main service (and Sunday School in school term). Additional Sunday service at either 10am or 2:15pm (Check on website or by phone)Wednesday: 7.45pm Bible discussion classes

German Lutheran Congregation, 15a Lathbury RoadFirst Sunday of the month: 15.30, at University Church of St Mary the VirginFamily services on Saturday afternoons, once a month: Community Hall, Lathbury Road

Rivers of Life Church, United Reformed Church Building, 352 Marston Road, Marston, Oxford OX3 0JB
01865 434620 /
[email protected]Sunday Evening: 17:00 prayer, 17:30 main meeting, followed by refreshments.Tuesday: 18:30 prayer, 19:00 meal followed by praise, worship and a short message.Friday: 19:30 for students and young people.

For online prayer times (wherever you are in the world), and much, much more:
Islam Finder

For a specifically UK-based version of the same, with news, politics and even jobs:
Salaam

Buddhism

Thrangu House, 42 Magdalen Road, 01865 241555 is Oxford's Tibetan Buddhist centre. On offer to members of the public - regardless of faith - are free teaching, yoga, puja (prayer) and meditation sessions.

The Longchen Foundation, email: [email protected]or phone 01865 725569 offers meditation, talks and courses following the path of the Mahayana Maha-Ati teachings of the Buddha under spiritual leader Rigdzin Shikpo. See website for local group meeting details.

The Oxford Buddha Vihara, 358 Abingdon Road, Oxford, OX1 4QT, is a Buddhist community offering meditation instruction and teachings. You can learn about their current teaching and retreat programs on their website, or by telephone (01865 791591) or email.

The Oxford Zen Centre (based in both Old Marston and London, with regular retreats in Boars Hill) is a Sangha where Zen meditation is taught: the practice of focussing on the breath in silence to allow the mind and body to become still. Its many benefits include greater energy, clarity, peace, compassion and kindness. The group is open to people regardless of faith orientation.

The Samatha Trust offers beginner's courses to foster the development of Samantha Meditation - a traditional technique of self-cultivation aiming to foster to inner-strength, tranquility and knowledge. The meditation method has its origins in ancient India, but developed over recent centuries in Thailand and was brought to Britain in 1963. Email: [email protected].

Beyond Oxford: visit www.buddhanet.net for a comprehensive history and description of Buddhism and to find your nearest monasteries, meditation centres or courses. Also try www.do-not-zzz.com for a user-friendly introduction to the concepts of Zen Buddhism, with rather fun graphics.

www.kadampa.org is "An important resource for Buddhism in the New Kadampa Tradition with over 1000 Centers and branches worldwide."

Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha, An Unusually Hardcore Dharma Book, is recommended by a former Daily Info staff member, and available free here. A Buddhist Daily Info user recommends a podcast of core teachings as an alternative guide in 2012; click here to listen.

For Buddhist meditation with Burgs, a highly attained and expert meditation teacher and healer based in the UK, try
www.justletgo.org.

Hinduism

Working to establish the Hindu temple which Oxford currently lacks, and promoting interfaith activities,
Oxford Hindu Temple & Community Centre Project offers monthly communal prayer sessions together with infomation on local events and Hinduism in general.

See
www.hindunet.org for a complete and balanced overview of a religion with 900 million followers. Extensive links, Hindi greetings cards, and a reminder service for Hindu Festivals. (Navigation rendered a bit difficult by too many advertising pop-ups so make sure you block these via your browser before visiting.) For academic study of Hindu culture and religion, visit the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies.

Baha'i community activities in Oxford include discussion evenings, prayer mornings, social outings and non-competitive community sports to which all are welcome. Visit their website
www.oxfordbahais.com for more information.

Non-Denominational

For those looking for spiritual refreshment outside conventional religion, contact Theolyn Cortens at Sacred Building Trust 0845 458 0628 or visit the website
www.soulschool.co.uk. Also, for lectures, films, dramatic and other events on spiritual themes, but not aligned to any one religious or philosophical outlook, take a look at the archive of the Jupiter Trust website, which ceased publishing in 2009: http://www.minimumweb.co.uk/jupiter/archive/.

Fancy singing a hymn or two but not sure of the words? Want to find the score to your favourite song of praise? There's a treasure trove of hymns at
Cyber Hymnal and at Net Hymnal.

Humanism / Secularism

Secular humanism is a life-stance and philosophy focusing on the idea that we have only one life which it is our responsibility to make good. It supports people trying to live a good life without religion. It believes in the importance of human rights and dignity, individual responsibility and social cooperation, and expects people to make decisions based on available evidence and their own reason rather than on religious dogma or sacred texts. For Humanist services in Oxford and surrounding areas visit the directory on the
British Humanist Association (BHA) website where you can find Celebrants of Naming, Wedding and Funeral Ceremonies.

Secularism is concerned with the separation of religion from governments, institutions and states. The
National Secular Society (NSS) campaigns for a society in which the state offers full religious freedom to individuals while denying organised religion privileged access to the public sphere. Secularists tend to be more vigorously opposed to religion than Humanists but both groups champion human rights and freedom of speech.

Oxford Humanists is affiliated to both the BHA and the NSS. Their web-site includes a calendar of local events. Oxford Atheist, Secularist and Humanists (OxASH) serves the needs of Oxford University students whilst a similar group (BASH) is being set up at Oxford Brookes. Each February, local Humanist and Secularist organisations join together to organise Think Week, a week of high profile free public events.

Others

www.paganfed.org is the national website for paganism in the UK. www.childrenofartemis.co.uk is a good source of information about Wicca. Local pagan meetings can sometimes be spotted in the Daily Info listings, so keep an eye there too.

A local Ritual Facilitator is Jon Bowen (
www.dreamcraft.org.uk), who specialises in outdoor ceremonies. Most ritual facilitators are liberal celebrants within a particular faith, or within the humanist tradition, but some (such as Jon) work with people of any faith, multiple faiths, or no faith to fulfil their vision of their spiritual or life celebration.

www.deism.com is aimed at those with a sense of faith but no time for received religions, or anything superstitious.

Or try
www.ulc.org, the website of the Universal Life Church, which holds that everyone has the right to religious authority and will ordain you on the spot, on-line, free of charge. Nor is this merely for satirical purposes. The ULC has defended its charitable status successfully in the U.S. courts, and its ministers perform legal marriages.